Gladys Aylward

I don't think many of us have heard who Gladys Aylward is. I only read about her recently in a book. And I am utterly amazed at this heroine of faith.

She was a poor English woman who felt the Lord's calling for her to go into mainland China as a missionary. That was a few years before 1930. However, she was rejected by a mission organization because she was deemed to old to learn the Chinese language.

That did not stop her. She worked as a parlordmaid (similar to our present-day domestic helper) and saved up most of her savings to purchase a ride to China. Even then, her ride to China was not easy. She had to take ships, trains and even do some walking because of wars and battles. She survived and made it to China.

In summary, look at the odds stacked against her:

1. She was poor.
2. She was rejected by a mission organization.
3. She had to endure an arduous and difficult journey to China (alone!).
4. She can't speak any Chinese language when she first reached China.
5. She had to do share the gospel to people who considered her 'foreign devil'.
6. The Japanese attacked China and she was caught in the middle of the firefight during WW2.
7. The civil war between the Nationalists and the Communists happened after WW2.

All the above did not stop her. She helped started an inn to share the gospels with people who stopped by, became a foot inspector and shared the good news with women, put down a prison rebellion, adopted orphans and most incredibly, evacuated 100 orphans to Xian with little resources via treacherous mountains and Japanese patrols and warplanes nearby.

Subsequently, she served in Taiwan till she was called home to be with the Lord in 1970. 

Here was a life, totally expended and given to the Lord. Besides Glayds' great faith in the Lord, she overcame all of the odds mainly because she had a willing heart. And God certainly used her to transform many others.

That caused me to reflect on my life. Complaining and grumbling at times when serving God. What I had experienced is only but a small fraction of what Gladys went through. 

My prayer today is: "God, I am willing."

This is me, checking in today

Last night, Pastor Khong preached a message about "The King and I - The Divine Romance". As he was reading out this poem about old Jim, I was deeply touched. Somehow, in the midst of so-called busyness, I have often neglected my devotion time with God.

I want to learn from old Jim. Here it goes (extracted from http://www.fathershands.com/jim/):

A minister passing through his church
in the middle of the day,
Decided to pause by the altar
and see who had come to pray.

Just then the back door opened,
a man came down the aisle,
The minister frowned as he saw
the man hadn't shaved in a while.

His shirt was kinda shabby
and his coat was worn and frayed,
the man knelt, he bowed his head,
then rose and walked away.

In the days that followed,
each noon time came this chap,
each time he knelt just for a moment,
a lunch pail in his lap.

Well, the minister's suspicions grew,
with robbery a main fear,
He decided to stop the man and ask him,
"What are you doing here?"

The old man said, he worked down the road.
Lunch was half an hour.
Lunchtime was his prayer time,
for finding strength and power.

"I stay only moments, see,
because the factory is so far away;
as I kneel here talking to the Lord,
this is kinda what I say:

"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD,
HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP
AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.
DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY,
BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
SO, JESUS, THIS IS JIM CHECKING IN TODAY."

The minister feeling foolish,
told Jim, that was fine.
He told the man he was welcome
to come and pray just anytime.

Time to go, Jim smiled, said
"Thanks." He hurried to the door.
The minister knelt at the altar,
he'd never done it before.

His cold heart melted, warmed with love,
and met with Jesus there.
As the tears flowed, in his heart,
he repeated old Jim's prayer:

"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD,
HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP
AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.
I DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY,
BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME CHECKING IN TODAY."

Past noon one day, the minister noticed
that old Jim hadn't come.
As more days passed without Jim,
he began to worry some.

At the factory, he asked about him,
learning he was ill.
The hospital staff was worried,
but he'd given them a thrill.

The week that Jim was with them,
brought changes in the ward.
His smiles, a joy contagious.
Changed people, were his reward.

The head nurse couldn't understand
why Jim was so glad,
when no flowers, calls or cards came,
not a visitor he had.

The minister stayed by his bed,
he voiced the nurse's concern:
No friends came to show they cared.
He had nowhere to turn.

Looking surprised, old Jim spoke up
and with a winsome smile;
"the nurse is wrong, she couldn't know,
that in here all the while
everyday at noon He's here,
a dear friend of mine, you see,
He sits right down, takes my hand,
leans over and says to me:

"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, JIM,
HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP,
AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN.
ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY,
I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY,
AND SO JIM, THIS IS JESUS
CHECKING IN TODAY."